There are only clues about their mother. The father’s identity remains one of the biggest mysteries in the history of Duckburg, the fictional town inhabited by Donald, Scrooge McDuck and company in the Disney comics. The triplets Huguinho, Zezinho and Luizinho (as they are known in Brazil) are among the oldest characters in this family: their appearance dates back to October 1937, just three years after the appearance of Donald himself. Despite so much time on the road, little is known about his parents. In the early 1950s, Carl Barks – one of Disney’s main designers, screenwriters and animators – created a family tree in which the mother of the trio was identified as Thelma, Donald’s twin sister. In place of the father, only a question mark appeared. Another more complete family tree, created in 1993 by illustrator and screenwriter Don Rosa, also left this space blank.
The true explanation lies in the concept of family entertainment at Disney Studios, which seeks to be as asexual as possible. “For this reason, the family ties in these stories have always distanced themselves from reality. There is almost no contact between parents and children – relationships are between nephews and uncles, or grandchildren and grandparents – and the characters never get married”, says comic specialist Álvaro de Moya, author of the book O Mundo de Disney.
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